The Century 21 of Kimono Design

I recently found a wonderful, off the beaten track shop that sells all vintage Japanese things, from furniture to clothing catalogs. In a world where the Gap and Anne Taylor are everywhere, and the graphics are more or less the same, its refreshing to find a graphic artifact (1940) that is so unique to its time and place that it is not homogenized by globalization.

Kimono, which means a “thing to wear” is so rooted in Japanese culture that it will never be a pair of jeans or tank top. And the symbolism embodied in it will never give way to mere style or fashion. This catalog is more than quaint; it’s a piece of popular Japanese commercial art history.

About Steven Heller

Steven Heller is the co-chair of the SVA MFA Designer /Designer as Author + Entrepreneur program, writes a weekly column for The Atlantic online and is the "Visuals" Columnist for the New York Times Book Review. He is also the author of over 160 books on design and visual culture. And he is the 2011 recipient of the Smithsonian National Design Award.